InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Secret Club ❯ The Trouble with Family... ( Chapter 15 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: NinjaGamer 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Hentai / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.01.2011 | Pages: 6 | Words: 7.9K | Visits: 1.3K | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Hentai / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.01.2011 | Pages: 6 | Words: 7.9K | Visits: 1.3K | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.Lemon warning.*******************
Even after several days, Kagome was still sour about Inuyasha’s handling of the proposal. Despite her feelings, she did her best to not let them affect her mood. Each passing day lessened the sting. It helped that she was getting married to Inuyasha had finally sunk in. Between that and school, there was precious little time to think about anything else.
It surprised Kagome how quickly things went back to normal. Schoolwork was ramping up and the euphoria of becoming engaged was fading quickly. Life itself changed little. In the week following her engagement, she slept with Miroku and Sango just as readily as she had before. Inuyasha was present several times and had said nothing. Besides the ring she now wore, nothing had changed. She was wondering if marriage would change anything. Inuyasha had mentioned something about the ‘first of many’ when he proposed. Just thinking of it made her face flush. Until now, she never really thought about those words. Did he really mean them or were they just said in the heat of the moment? Did she want them to carry weight? She was getting flustered. Just when I was getting settled, everything has to get stirred up again.
Sitting up, she realized she had been zoning out the instructor. Tightening her grip on her pencil, she furiously scribbled down the notes off the slide before it changed. There’s time to worry about that later! Right now, focus!
*******************
Kagome groaned loudly as she drove herself down onto Miroku. Tossing her head back, she let out a long groan. She closed her eyes, focusing on Miroku’s hammer-like motions as he shot up into her. Nothing relieves the stress better than a good fuck. Yes, she should have been working on the required readings, but she could spare thirty minutes…
Or an hour… She was covered in sweat, breaths ragged gasps from the enthusiastic effort both she and her partner were putting into it. Kagome was not in the mood for anything loving or slow. She wanted wild and forceful and Miroku was more than happy to give it. Opening her eyes, she rolled her head slightly to the right. Beside her, Sango was enjoying her own ride. Sharp cries escaped her parted lips as she bounced atop Inuyasha with vigor equal to Kagome’s. A pang of jealousy shot through Kagome. She wished they had never had switched, but after a long day of classes, Kagome needed the extra release. Inuyasha would always be her number one, but he had been right about her. The wickedness of being with another man, or seeing Inuyasha with another woman, it was intoxicating. She did not like how it was that way, but it was hard to argue with results. Her orgasms were bigger and more frequent.
“Make me cum,” she gasped, her eyes watching as Sango’s breasts flopped up and down. “Make me cum Miroku.” She could feel his hands on her side, forcing her down against him. She could feel it building within her, driving her to buck wildly against him. She craved it, her mind and body moving towards that one goal. Her cries joined Sango’s, becoming higher in pitch as he body grew increasingly sensitive. Her orgasm crept closer, each thrust bringing her closer and closer to her desperate need. Forcing her eyes away from Sango and Inuyasha, she bent her head to lock eyes with Miroku. Beads of sweat ran from his forehead as he puffed air from his lungs. His face was reddening from the strain of holding himself back while simultaneously trying to bring Kagome to climax.
“Please Miroku,” she gasped, eyes pleading with him, “A little more. Just a little more.”
“Kagome!” he sputtered.
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Miroku!” she cried. Ecstasy washed over her and for a brief moment, there was nothing but pleasure. Hands on either side of Miroku’s head, she gasped for breath. From his blissful expression, he had cum as well. A smile formed as their eyes met. With a sigh, she pulled herself from him and flopped to the bed beside him, chest heaving. Her hand lazily moved to her face to bush away the strands of hair that had stuck to her sweaty face. She took a long, deep breath, closing her eyes as she held it. Her heart thundered in her ears as her lungs burned in protest. Releasing the trapped air slowly, she opened her eyes once more. “God I needed that,” she said aloud, staring at the ceiling. Now that she was in a rested state, she noticed the bed moving beneath her. Rolling her head to the side, she watched as Sango continued, oblivious to what had just occurred beside her.
“I’ll be ready in a few minutes,” Miroku said, causing her eyes to move to meet his. Her gaze moved down to see he was still half-erect.
A grin formed. “Almost ready for a third, are you trying to give Inuyasha a run for his money?”
Miroku grinned back. “I wouldn’t go that far…”
Kagome let her head roll back so she was back to staring at the ceiling. “Sadly, I really need to get back to work. I’ve procrastinated enough.”
“But it was worth it.”
“Oh it certainly was,” she said, grin widening. Despite her words, she remained on her back, listening to Sango’s vocal lovemaking. She just could not drum up the motivation to get back to studying. Resting her left hand against her stomach, her right automatically moved atop it. Her fingers idly played with the foreign ring that now rested there. Her face seemed to glow as she smiled. I’m actually engaged to Inuyasha! No amount of repetition seemed to dull the excitement the statement provoked.
Heavy movement beside her snapped her out of her reverie. Rolling onto her side, she propped her head up, curling her legs back slightly. She smiled as she watched Sango, sandwiched between both Inuyasha and Miroku. Both men hammered away at her as she yelled for more. Seeing her friend between them brought ideas to mind. Maybe I have time for one more… She quickly smothered the thought. There was far too much reading for her to do already. As tempting as taking Sango’s place was… Besides, Miroku barely has enough energy as it is.
She continued to watch in silence, a smile stuck on her face. She was not focused on them, but lost in her own thoughts. There was nothing specific, just a lazy meander from one thought to another. Most revolved around the future; the wedding, life after the wedding, how she wanted things to be. Living with just Inuyasha, there would be a lot more time spent together. She doubted things would end with Miroku and Sango, at least for the foreseeable future. And if what he said was true…
She could feel her face heat imagining herself surrounded by men, Inuyasha at the front. Those thoughts led to another, equally important one: if that was on the table, what about the reverse? She pictured Inuyasha surrounded by women, her just one of many. She was not revolted by the thought, but she was not exactly enthused by it. But if he wants it… Fair is fair. It was just one of the many things they had to talk about before they actually went forward with the wedding. There is no way I’m going into this marriage like I did this relationship. They would both have a clear understanding of where the line was drawn and what was forbidden.
She never expected herself to be comfortable with an open marriage, but now, she could not see herself in a traditional closed one. There is so much we are going to have to hide from Mother…
“Ah!” she cried, suddenly shooting up. It surprised the other three, freezing them in place as they all looked over at her. They looked ridiculous. Inuyasha on his back, Sango hunched against him with Miroku pressed against her back, arms reaching around to grab at her breasts. The light gave their slick skin a weird shine.
“What’s wrong?” Inuyasha asked as he lifted his head.
“I forgot!” she said, hand covering her open mouth. Her heart was pounding, mouth suddenly dry.
“Forgot what?” Sango asked, winded.
“My mother… I haven’t told her…”
*******************
“Stop fidgeting,” Kagome said, slapping at Inuyasha’s hand as it reached up towards his tie. “You’re making it crooked.”
“I can’t help it,” Inuyasha whined. “It’s burning up.”
“It’s the country, what do you expect?”
“Please tell me your house has air conditioning.”
“Well…” she said, not meeting his eyes.
“You’re kidding me.”
“It was originally a temple and Grandfather was insistent on not installing one.”
“Wonderful,” he grumbled, wiping the sweat from his forehead. “Has anyone down here heard of air conditioning? It’s one of the great inventions of man.”
Kagome straightened in her seat, recognizing the area beyond the bus window. They were getting close. “More importantly, do you remember everything?”
“For the hundredth time, yes. I won’t mess up,” he said, irritated.
She lowered her head, hands twisting nervously in her lap. “I know. I’m just… It’s just…”
His fingers pressed against her chin as he forced her to look up at him. “I know you’re anxious, but everything will be fine.” His smile did ease her worry, but only a little. “Will it help if we went over things again?” She nodded. “Okay then, ask away.”
Clearing her throat, she looked up at him. “Where did we meet?”
“On campus. Sango introduced us at a seminar. She met me as an acquaintance of one of her teachers.”
“Good,” Kagome said, nodding.
“We started talking and found we had a lot in common. Blah, blah, blah, next thing we know, we had started dating.” She frowned. “What? I’m not stupid. I’m not going to tell your mother how we actually met, nor am I going to tell her our current lifestyle. Besides, is she going to believe any of this?”
Kagome still wore her frown, crossing her arms over her chest. Her voice was low so that only he could hear her. “Says the man who proposed to me in the middle of an orgy.”
“Look, I said I was sorry, okay? Are you ever going to let that drop?”
“Not anytime soon,” She shook her head, realizing they were getting sidetracked. “And she will believe it because you were saying how we just met.”
He sighed. “Yes, and we have been dating for over a year.”
“Date?”
“Isn’t your mom going to wonder why you’ve never told her about me if we’ve been dating for over a year?”
“Let me worry about that. Date?”
“February 5th.”
“Have you ever slept with me?”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Knowing them, it will come up.”
He leaned closer towards her. “Of course not. I never have the chance since you are always so busy with other men.”
She punched his shoulder, looking around, face red. Even though he had said it low, it felt to her like he had yelled it. Luckily, the bus was noisy and it would have been impossible for anyone else to hear. “Not funny.”
He laughed, sitting back. “I thought it was.”
“Inuyasha, you need to take this seriously! If they even catch wind of something—”
“They’ll what? Forbid you to marry me?”
“Among other things.”
He grumbled as he scratched at his head. “Kagome, I know how this works. I’ve sold things to people under a lot more hostile conditions than this.” He glanced out the window. “Though a lot of those took place in air conditioning…”
She rested her hand on Inuyasha’s. “I know, I know, but this is different. Mother and Grandfather are really traditional people. Everyone in this town is.”
“Have you at least told her I’m a half-demon?”
“Yes…” she said slowly.
“And?”
“She was… surprised.”
He was silent for a moment, amber eyes studying her. “This isn’t going to be a problem is it?”
“No, no,” she said, quickly shaking her head. “They are conservative, but not that conservative.” She was silent for a few seconds. “If you were full demon, maybe,” she added quietly.
“Yay for small miracles,” he said with sarcastic enthusiasm.
“I’m sorry,” she said, voice wavering. “I just… I really want them to like you.”
He wrapped his arm around her, squeezing her tightly. “I know how important this is to you, and I’ll do everything I can to leave a good impression.”
She took his hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “Thank you.”
*******************
“So this is him,” her mother said flatly, eyeing him critically. Kagome felt her throat tighten, her hands clamping tightly on the gift she had brought. “Well, come on inside then,” she said, turning and quickly walking down the hall. Kagome let out a sigh of relief, glancing over to Inuyasha. She gave him a quick thumbs up and a smile. She had been expecting worse. Kagome felt terrible for Inuyasha. Most of the hostile reception was because of her. Mother was angry at find out about him only now, after he had proposed to her daughter.
The two followed her mother inside to the living room. “Here Mom, I got you some of that perfume you like,” she said handing her mother the box.
“Oh!” her mother said, smiling widely as she took the offered box. “Thank you.” As quickly as the mother she remembered appeared, she was gone as she set the box aside and set her attention to Inuyasha. He shifted in his seat, bracing for the inevitable grilling he was about to receive. “So I hear your name is Inuyasha Taisho.”
“That’s right. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“So Mr. Taisho—”
“You can call me Inuyasha.”
“Mr. Taisho, where do you work?”
“I work for Yamamoto Marketing.”
“I’ve never heard of them.”
“We are hired by companies to represent their products to other companies as well as the general public, depending on our client’s desires.”
“And how much do you make there Mr. Taisho; enough to support my daughter and future family?”
“Mother, that’s rude,” Kagome said, interjecting. Though she said that, she was curious. She knew he had to make a decent amount but she did not have a number.
“It’s a valid question,” Inuyasha said, glancing over at Kagome before returning his attention to her mother. “I make roughly $250 thousand a year, more depending on bonuses. I also have a sizable investment portfolio. My total assets are roughly $2.4 million.”
Kagome had a hard time keeping the surprise off her face. She had no idea he had that much. Glancing over at her mother, she felt her heart sink. Her mother did not seem impressed.
“Kagome never did tell me how you two met Mr. Taisho.”
He smiled, but that charming smile that worked so well on her and other women was defeated by her mother’s expectant gaze. “At a seminar.”
“A seminar?”
“A mutual acquaintance introduced us.”
“Sango,” Kagome clarified. So far so good. It felt like she was sitting on needles. Every small movement shot a thousand pricks across her body.
“You know Sango?” her mother asked, looking from Kagome back to Inuyasha. She was the one friend her mother knew a lot about. Most of the stories she told her mother about started with, ‘Sango and I…’
“Yes, better now than I did then. When she introduced me to your daughter, I had only met her a few times. I know a teacher there and I sometimes come in to talk to his classes.” He clasped his hands together. “Sango was always interested in my talks, so we would stay after class to discuss them farther.”
Kagome let her head bow slightly, covering a small grin. Yes, ‘talk.’ While she was still anxious, Inuyasha’s smooth delivery was giving her some ease. This might actually work. Despite her growing confidence, her mother continued her questions, her tone suggesting she held some suspicion there was something more than what was being told. Every question she asked, Inuyasha easily answered. Kagome knew the truth and still was amazed at how natural his answers seemed.
Her mother leaned forward, eyes narrowing as she stared at Inuyasha. “My final question is this: why my daughter? A man with the wealth, looks, and education like yours could have his pick of any woman.”
Inuyasha’s eyes darted from Kagome back to her mother as he shifted in place. “What a hard question,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. It was the first time she had seen a question cause his pause. “I don’t even know how to answer that.” He took a deep breath. “She understands me for one. We share common interests.” Kagome knew exactly what he meant by ‘common interests.’ “She’s a strong, outspoken woman, not afraid to speak her mind.”
“Not a lot of men are looking for that,” her mother injected before he could continue.
Inuyasha smiled. “Yes, well I’m not like most men. Since my work calls me to travel often, and I can rest easy knowing Kagome is more than capable of taking care of herself. There are just so many reasons why I love Kagome, I don’t think I could possibly list them all. I don’t even think I know all the reasons why I love her. I just do.”
“Thank you Mr. Taisho. This has been an enlightening conversation.” She rose to her feet. “If you will excuse me for a moment, I will start on dinner.”
Kagome waited until her mother had left the room before rushing over to Inuyasha’s side. He had since sagged into the back of the couch. “You did great!” she said in a hushed voice before giving him a quick peck on the lips.
“You think so?” he asked wearily.
She gave a quick nod. “It was perfect.”
“Still, I get the feeling your mother doesn’t like me.”
Kagome felt her smile falter. She had that same feeling. “Let me go talk to her. Maybe I can see what’s going on. Stay here.” He nodded. By the looks of him, he did not have the strength left to do otherwise.
Leaving Inuyasha back in the living room, she made her way through the maze of halls and rooms to the kitchen. Her mother was at the far side, moving about busily as she prepared dinner. “I was waiting for you,” her mother said, turning around and wiping her hands on her apron.
“Mom,” Kagome started, cut off by her mother’s raised hand.
“Kagome,” she said, quickly closing the distance between them. Kagome found herself in shocked silence as her mother wrapped her in a hug. Hesitantly, she returned it. “How did you find a man like that!” she said, holding her daughter out at arm’s length.
“Huh?”
“Inuyasha!” she said, bubbling with enthusiasm. “Such a wonderful man!” This was not the same mother that had just spent the last hour making it seem like she hated everything about him. “Rich… handsome… well educated with an elite upbringing! He’s almost perfect!”
Except he can’t keep his dick out of other women, Kagome added silently. There was no malice in the thought. It was a joke only she was in on. Then again, I’m not any better. Her mother probably misinterpreted her smile as a response to her approval of Inuyasha.
Her mother sighed. “You’ve made your mother a happy woman.” She was positively beaming as she stared at Kagome. “I was worried about sending you to the city. Father was absolutely convinced it would end in disaster; that the city would change you.”
Kagome smiled uneasily. The city had changed her, but it changed her for the better. If they knew the truth about what she did, they would never understand how it brought her happiness. She was with the man she loved, and even though they showed their love in unusual ways, Kagome was comfortable with their relationship – no matter how abnormal it was.
Suddenly, her mother’s expression turned suspicious. “You’re not pregnant are you?”
“Mother!” she gasped, horrified that her mother would jump to that conclusion.
She was all smiles again. “I’m just kidding! Kidding!” She took a deep breath, running her eyes along her daughter. “Just look at you, so grown up.”
“It’s only been a few months.”
“I know, and just look how much you’ve grown! You seem much more womanly now.”
“R-really?” She blushed.
Her mother gave a firm nod. “I saw it the moment you walked in the door. You’ve never carried yourself with as much confidence as you do now.” Her hands tightened on Kagome’s shoulder. “When I realized that it was Inuyasha that pulled the woman that stands before me out… I knew you two would make it.”
Kagome’s blush deepened. “Thanks Mom.” She was overjoyed at her mother’s recognition, but a profound sadness lingered. Her mother would never know the ‘true’ woman that stood before her. It was a secret Kagome was determined to take to her grave. In this moment, Aya came to mind. If her mother ever found out the truth behind what she and Inuyasha actually did together, she could never understand why Kagome did it, let alone accept it. Aya on the other hand… she was never judgmental and even supported Kagome as she struggled to find her own acceptance. It hurt that she had to keep such a secret from her mother. She loved her mother with everything she had, but a part of her wished she was more understanding like Aya was.
Her attention returned to her mother when she released her shoulders. She was giggling at her own thoughts as she returned to her work. “I can’t wait to tell the girls! They’re going to be so jealous when I tell them my daughters marrying an elite!”
Kagome rolled her eyes. One thing she would never miss was the small town politics. Sometimes it was nice being anonymous in the big city.
“Too bad he’s half-demon,” her mother said sorrowful. “It would have been nice if he was full human.”
Kagome’s expression darkened. “That’s not going to be a problem is it?” In certain company, she had heard her mother say certain things about demons from time to time, but she was nowhere near as bad as most in this area.
“No, no!” There was a slight pause. “For me at least…”
“Is that why Grandfather isn’t here?” A nod confirmed her suspicion. “Mom, you said you would talk to him!”
“And I did. You know him. He’s as stubborn as a mule.”
“Is he really not going to meet him?”
“That’s what he said.”
Kagome felt her shoulder sag. “So I take it he’s mad at me too.” Her grandfather was a nice guy, but he grew up in a different time. While the world changed around him, he had not. For reasons unknown to Kagome, her grandfather had a deep distrust and loathing for demons. And half-demons too apparently.
“No, he’s mad at me,” her mother said, chopping vegetables.
“You? What did you do?”
“I let you go to the city. He would have much preferred you stay here and marry a local boy.”
Kagome wrinkled her nose. “I don’t like any of the boys here.”
Her mother smiled over her shoulder. “You use to get along so well with everyone though.”
“Yeah, until they hit puberty,” Kagome muttered under her breath. It seemed like it happened over night. One day, she was just a member of the gang. The next day, their only interest in her seemed to be getting in her pants. Once they found out she had absolutely no interest in that, they moved on to people more willing. Losing almost all her friends overnight, it was then that Kagome decided she no longer wanted to be ‘one of the boys.’
Moving next to her mother, Kagome took one of the cabbages from the sink. It’s been awhile since I’ve actually cooked something. There was a lot to talk about beside depressing things like the past. “So, how have things been since I left?”
*******************
Inuyasha managed to recover enough to start moving around. Man, I hope I can remember everything I said… The problem with lying was not with selling the lie, it was remembering what you sold. The weekend they were staying here would be fine. It was years down the road. Hopefully I won’t be held to such scrutiny then.
When Kagome did not immediately return, he began wandering the living room. It was hard to tell if it was a positive or negative thing. I’m sure she’s just catching up with her mother. Taking a deep breath to settle himself, he found himself wandering over to the pictures set alongside the far wall. A shrine sat between them, a picture of a man who reminded him faintly of Kagome.
Placing his hands together, he gave a short bow. I know you probably won’t forgive me for what I’ve caused your daughter to become, but I do love her. I ask that you please look favorably upon us. He paused for a moment. Just not… uh… during the… questionable… times.
He separated his hands, looking around sheepishly. “Right, I should stop talking,” he muttered to himself. Stepping to the side, he moved from picture to picture. It was the first time he had seen Kagome as a child. It was surprising to find the woman he knew today had grown up as such a tomboy. None of the pictures showed even a remotely girly Kagome, her hair never longer than her shoulders. In many of the pictures, she was surrounded by boys of various ages. He grinned mischievously. That might actually explain a lot about her…
She was always beaming, the center of each one. In most, they were all covered in mud, from work or play he could not tell. What really interested him were the family pictures. They were the largest, lined at the top of all the others. It was a sorrowful snapshot of Kagome’s life. The first was a young man and woman, smiling happily as the woman held a newborn to her chest, the man’s hands on her shoulders as they looked towards the camera. The next, a girl shyly stood next to her parents as her mother held another baby. The third one was a much more somber photo. Two girls, one older than the other stood on either side of their mother as she held another baby. While the woman was smiling, there was a noticeable sadness in her expression. The man from the other two was missing.
Eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Inuyasha moved to the next one. The older girl was a teenager now. It was not Kagome. Even into her early teens Kagome was still into her tomboy look. This girl was doing everything she could to look older than she was. Beside her was the tomboy Inuyasha recognized, wearing that boyish grin he had seen in so many other pictures. Even her sloppy pose screamed unfeminine as she hung her arm around the older girl, her two fingers held out in a ‘V.’ Kagome’s mother stood beside them, smiling as she rested her hands on an unsmiling boy’s shoulders. An elderly man stood beside her, his hand resting on her shoulder as he smiled at the camera.
The last one really perplexed him. The older teen was gone. Kagome, seemingly in high school, was standing next to her seated mother, her hand resting on her shoulder. While her hair was still on the short side, it was far longer than any of the pictures before. It was one of the few pictures of her transition from her boyish childhood to the woman he knew and loved. The boy was on the other side, a small grin on his face as he held a hand on his mother’s other shoulder. Behind them was the elderly man. He seemed older in the picture, but no less enthusiastic about being in it.
He stepped back, giving the pictures a broader look. He still could not make sense of it. There were obviously three children in the family, but Kagome had told him she only had a younger brother. The other pictures confirmed this. They were all either of Kagome or her brother. So who is the other girl?
“You must be Inuyasha.”
Surprised, Inuyasha turned around to find a teenage boy leaning on the wall at the entrance to the living room. “And you must be Souta.”
He grinned. “That’s right. I was wondering if I would get to meet you. Mom said she wanted to thoroughly interrogate you. She thought it was odd that Kagome never mentioned you, then suddenly saying she was getting married.” His grin widened. “You didn’t get her pregnant did you?”
“Wha—?” He was taken aback. After hearing so much from Kagome about her family, he had come to expect certain things from them. He had gotten her mother mostly right, but her brother was a mighty curve ball.
Chuckling, Souta waved his hand, moving into the living room. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding. I’m certain my sister is still as ‘pure’ as Mother wants her to be.”
He straightened up. “I don’t know what you’re implying, but I haven’t touched her in that way. She made it clear that she wanted to wait until marriage.”
Souta raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. “And you were willing to wait?”
“Some things are worth waiting for. It’s her decision and I respect that.” Inuyasha frowned. “And why the hell am I talking to you about this? Frankly it’s none of your business what we do.”
Souta shrugged, flopping back on the couch. He nodded towards the pictures. “Is this your first time seeing Kagome when she was little?”
“Yeah, she never told me she was such a tomboy.”
“There’s a reason for that,” he said with a grin. “She’s a bit touchy about it.”
“I actually have some questions about the pictures, if you don’t mind answering,” Inuyasha said, turning back to face the pictures.
“Sure.”
“Who’s this?” he asked, pointing towards the older teen.
“Ah… Her.” Souta got up. Inuyasha noticed him move up beside him as he looked at the picture. “That’s our older sister Kikyo.”
“Kagome never mentioned her.”
“Yeah, and you shouldn’t either. Mom kicked her out her senior year; all but disowned her.”
Blinking in surprised, Inuyasha looked between Souta and the picture. Nothing Kagome had told him about her family had prepared him for this. She painted her family as a rosy love story with the occasional disagreement; while he expected there to be some secrets, nothing as big as this. “The way Kagome described you guys made it sound a lot more… cohesive.”
He shrugged. “For the most part, we are. Mom is pretty forgiving, but there are lines you don’t cross.” He nodded towards the picture. “Kikyo happily sprinted past that line.”
Inuyasha was silent. He really wanted to know what happened, but knew better than to pry. I’ll have to ask Kagome later. Whether he got the truth or not was another story.
He felt Souta give his shoulder a squeeze. Inuyasha was a fair amount taller than the teen, forcing him to reach up a considerable amount to do it. “Welcome to the family.” He was grinning. “I hope you know what you’ve got yourself into.”
*******************
“You can sleep here,” Souta said, sliding the door open. Inside the small room was a bed and… not much else. An empty bookcase sat near the door and the closet was open, revealing that it too was empty.
“Thanks,” Inuyasha said as he stepped inside. Setting his suitcase aside, he heard the door close behind him.
“Bathroom is to the left, two doors down, and on the right,” Souta’s muffled voice said from the other side of the door.
“Thanks.” Breathing deep through his nose, Inuyasha took a seat on the bed. It was still ridiculously hot and the puny fan sitting on the nightstand looked inadequate. Closing his eyes, he ran his hands down his face. Dinner went better than he hoped. Kagome’s mother seemed to be more receptive of him. There was still something about her that made him uncomfortable.
Just one more day. He repeated it several more times. Tomorrow night, we’ll be on the bus back to the station, and from there, home. He wiped his forehead, suppressing a groan. The heat only added to his increasing level of stress. It was hard trying to impress someone looking like you were just caught in the rain. A change of clothes will help…
Stripping down to his boxers, Inuyasha flopped down onto his bed. Leaning over, he tapped at the fan’s buttons until it turned on. Slowly, it swung from side to side, blowing a paltry amount of hot air against him. Groaning, he let his head hit the pillow. He did not realize he dozed off until a voice awoke him.
“Inuyasha, are you awake?” Kagome’s voice was barely a whisper.
“Yeah,” he whispered back, sitting up.
“Can I come in?”
“Sure.” The door slid aside revealing Kagome clad in a robe. It smelled like she just got out of the bath. He was holding out for his in the morning. No sense getting clean only to sweat in my sleep. It was amazing how Kagome and her family seemed immune to the weather. He grinned as she shut the door behind her. “I take it this isn’t a pleasurable late night visitation.”
She scowled at him. “Don’t even joke about that, not here,” she said in a stern voice.
“Sorry. So what brings you here?” he asked, motioning her to sit beside him. Holding her robe closed, she took a seat.
“I just wanted to ask how you were doing.”
“Hanging in there.”
Kagome smiled. “Mother likes you.”
“Oh? I’d hate to see her mad.”
Her smile widened. “I think she’s just putting on a show.”
“Well she’s doing a damn good job of it. Speaking of family, I haven’t met your grandfather yet. Is he on a trip or something?” Best not to ask about her older sister… not yet at least.
Kagome’s expression turned gloomy as she looked down. “He… won’t be joining us this weekend.”
“He has a problem with me, doesn’t he?” She nodded. He rubbed at his neck. “Well, I guess it can’t be helped. There are people like that.”
“It’s still not right!”
“No, but you can’t force someone to do something they don’t want to.” He lifted her chin to look her in the eye. “Give it time. I’m sure he’ll come around eventually.”
“Yeah…” She did not sound convinced.
He gave her a quick kiss. “You should go. I don’t want your mother or brother getting any ideas.”
There was a look of longing in her eyes. “God I wish we were home. I love my family to death, but the stress! I could really use…” She trailed off, remembering where she was.
He knew exactly what she meant. A grin spread across his face. “When we get home?”
She blushed. “You wouldn’t mind?”
“Of course not.” Such an insatiable woman! He would not want her any other way. Watching as she moved to the door, he gave her a smile when she looked back. Then she was gone, leaving him to his thoughts. Rubbing his eyes, he fell back onto the bed. Kagome was just as mysterious as her family. She acted certain ways and expected things done in other ways. The proposal was the most recent example. He managed to weasel Kagome’s real thoughts out of Sango during one of their… intimate… moments. Inuyasha knew from the beginning that it would be a high-risk proposal, but he stood by his decision. They had their first meeting in that room and Kagome had just finished doing the very thing he proposed during. He had a feeling Kagome would want something traditional, but they were living, and were going to live, an untraditional life.
Besides… she certainly didn’t seem mad at the time, he thought, crossing his arms. She went on to fuck three more guys. He remembered watching her as she did it. Never once did she show anything but happiness on her face.
Taking a deep breath, he reached over to turn the light out. Closing his eyes he settled back in his bed. Kagome was an enigma he would probably never figure out.
*******************
“Sorry for intruding,” Inuyasha said with a slight bow.
“No, no. It was nice finally meeting you,” Kagome’s mother said with a smile. It was the first time he had seen her give him one the entire time he was there. Despite the smile, he could not help but feel it was a small stab towards Kagome. She is probably unhappy that she is just finding out about me now…
“You too Souta,” Inuyasha said, holding his hand out.
Taking his hand, the teen gave it a firm shake. He looked over at his sister. “Don’t be several months visiting again. There is only so much of ‘when is Kagome going to visit? I haven’t heard from Kagome in forever!’ that I can take,” he said, giving his voice an artificially high pitch.
Kagome wrapped him in a hug. “I won’t promise.” She faced her mother. “I’ll visit soon.”
“I forgot to ask when you plan to have the wedding,” her mother said as she hugged Kagome.
Stepping back, Kagome gave him an uncertain look. “We uh… don’t know yet. I want to graduate first. Maybe work a little.”
“Work?” her mother said, surprised. “Why not start a family right away?” Behind his mother, Souta started making rude gestures, nodding his head as he did it.
Kagome shifted nervously. “We uh… haven’t talked about that either.”
Her mother looked shocked. “Have you two discussed anything?”
“Mom, we just got engaged!”
That reasoning would not work on her mother. “There are still things you have to decide before that! What if he doesn’t want kids!” Her gaze shot to him. “You want kids, right?”
Kagome answered before he could. “Mom, I don’t know if I want kids!”
That got her mother’s attention. Inuyasha knew something was coming the moment the words left Kagome’s mouth. We were almost home free… “What?” her mother asked, as if she did not believe what she heard. Behind her, even Souta seemed shocked.
“I meant… right away, having kids right away,” Kagome said, trying to recover. It was far too late for that. Her mother knew better.
“This… this is a conversation we will have later.” Her eyes shot towards Inuyasha. “Alone.” The last word hung ominously in the air as the woman spun on her heels and stormed off inside. Souta gave Kagome a series of gestures Inuyasha did not recognize. Kagome nodded, bowing her head slightly before he rushed off after their mother. Inuyasha got the sinking feeling that all the work he had done to build up an approval had just been cut at the base.
They were both nearing the bus stop when she broke the silence. “That… could have gone better.” She shook her head, placing a hand against her forehead. “I’m so stupid! I should have never said anything! The entire time not one mention of kids and at the very end…!”
She seemed on the verge of tears. Inuyasha pulled her to a stop, wrapping her in his arms. “Come on, it isn’t so bad.”
“It’s worse,” Kagome said, voice muffled by his chest. “I just undercut everything you worked hard to accomplish.”
“I don’t care. I only care what you think.”
“But I care. I want them to like you!” she said, separating from him.
He smiled, running his finger over her cheek. “This was only the first meeting. I’ll have plenty of time to win them over. Right?”
“Right,” she said, finally smiling. “God, look at me. I’m a mess,” she said, wiping her eyes.
“It was a tough weekend.”
“You’re telling me,” she said. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself.
“Feel better?”
“Much.”
They finished their walk to the bus stop. Unlike in the city, they were the only ones there. “I should have drove.”
“No way. I wanted a stealthy in and out. An expensive car like yours draws unwanted attention around here.”
There was a long silence as they stood waiting. He wiped the sweat from his forehead for what seemed like the hundredth time. I will not miss this heat. He watched Kagome out of the corner of his eye. She seemed to be off in her own thoughts staring blankly out at the field before them.
“Was it true that you don’t want children?”
She looked down. “I did, but now I’m not so sure.” She glanced over at him. “I figured you wouldn’t want any.”
“To be honest, I’ve never really thought about it.”
She gave him a half-grin. “Of course not.”
He faced her. “But why the sudden change?”
Hooking her fingers in her jeans, she looked up towards the sky. “I don’t know if I have it in me to be a mom.”
“You’d be a great mom,” Inuyasha said automatically.
She laughed. “I think you said that a little too quickly.” The smile faded as she looked up at Inuyasha. “But do you honestly think we would make good parents?” Inuyasha suddenly realized what she was saying. The realization must have shown on his face because Kagome gave him a sad smile. “Kids would mean a lot of changes to our lives.”
Inuyasha ran his tongue across his lips. His mouth suddenly seemed dry. He was sweating, but it seemed less to do with the heat. “I… would be willing to make them.” Not counting Sango, Kagome was basically the only woman he was sleeping with now. It would not be that great of a change to him now. The real challenge would be accepting that he no longer had the option of sleeping with other women. Besides, maybe it was his age, but having a kid or two did not sound as horrible as it once was. Especially if it’s with Kagome.
Kagome smiled as she reached out to take his hand. “I don’t know if I would.”
*******************
Ha! Another update! This time, with lots of story! This chapter felt like it took forever to write. Hope everyone enjoyed it!
And thanks for the continued support with reviews! I was really worried about how the previous chapter would be received. Glad to know people liked it.
Converting /tmp/phpl3DYW5 to /dev/stdout
Even after several days, Kagome was still sour about Inuyasha’s handling of the proposal. Despite her feelings, she did her best to not let them affect her mood. Each passing day lessened the sting. It helped that she was getting married to Inuyasha had finally sunk in. Between that and school, there was precious little time to think about anything else.
It surprised Kagome how quickly things went back to normal. Schoolwork was ramping up and the euphoria of becoming engaged was fading quickly. Life itself changed little. In the week following her engagement, she slept with Miroku and Sango just as readily as she had before. Inuyasha was present several times and had said nothing. Besides the ring she now wore, nothing had changed. She was wondering if marriage would change anything. Inuyasha had mentioned something about the ‘first of many’ when he proposed. Just thinking of it made her face flush. Until now, she never really thought about those words. Did he really mean them or were they just said in the heat of the moment? Did she want them to carry weight? She was getting flustered. Just when I was getting settled, everything has to get stirred up again.
Sitting up, she realized she had been zoning out the instructor. Tightening her grip on her pencil, she furiously scribbled down the notes off the slide before it changed. There’s time to worry about that later! Right now, focus!
*******************
Kagome groaned loudly as she drove herself down onto Miroku. Tossing her head back, she let out a long groan. She closed her eyes, focusing on Miroku’s hammer-like motions as he shot up into her. Nothing relieves the stress better than a good fuck. Yes, she should have been working on the required readings, but she could spare thirty minutes…
Or an hour… She was covered in sweat, breaths ragged gasps from the enthusiastic effort both she and her partner were putting into it. Kagome was not in the mood for anything loving or slow. She wanted wild and forceful and Miroku was more than happy to give it. Opening her eyes, she rolled her head slightly to the right. Beside her, Sango was enjoying her own ride. Sharp cries escaped her parted lips as she bounced atop Inuyasha with vigor equal to Kagome’s. A pang of jealousy shot through Kagome. She wished they had never had switched, but after a long day of classes, Kagome needed the extra release. Inuyasha would always be her number one, but he had been right about her. The wickedness of being with another man, or seeing Inuyasha with another woman, it was intoxicating. She did not like how it was that way, but it was hard to argue with results. Her orgasms were bigger and more frequent.
“Make me cum,” she gasped, her eyes watching as Sango’s breasts flopped up and down. “Make me cum Miroku.” She could feel his hands on her side, forcing her down against him. She could feel it building within her, driving her to buck wildly against him. She craved it, her mind and body moving towards that one goal. Her cries joined Sango’s, becoming higher in pitch as he body grew increasingly sensitive. Her orgasm crept closer, each thrust bringing her closer and closer to her desperate need. Forcing her eyes away from Sango and Inuyasha, she bent her head to lock eyes with Miroku. Beads of sweat ran from his forehead as he puffed air from his lungs. His face was reddening from the strain of holding himself back while simultaneously trying to bring Kagome to climax.
“Please Miroku,” she gasped, eyes pleading with him, “A little more. Just a little more.”
“Kagome!” he sputtered.
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Miroku!” she cried. Ecstasy washed over her and for a brief moment, there was nothing but pleasure. Hands on either side of Miroku’s head, she gasped for breath. From his blissful expression, he had cum as well. A smile formed as their eyes met. With a sigh, she pulled herself from him and flopped to the bed beside him, chest heaving. Her hand lazily moved to her face to bush away the strands of hair that had stuck to her sweaty face. She took a long, deep breath, closing her eyes as she held it. Her heart thundered in her ears as her lungs burned in protest. Releasing the trapped air slowly, she opened her eyes once more. “God I needed that,” she said aloud, staring at the ceiling. Now that she was in a rested state, she noticed the bed moving beneath her. Rolling her head to the side, she watched as Sango continued, oblivious to what had just occurred beside her.
“I’ll be ready in a few minutes,” Miroku said, causing her eyes to move to meet his. Her gaze moved down to see he was still half-erect.
A grin formed. “Almost ready for a third, are you trying to give Inuyasha a run for his money?”
Miroku grinned back. “I wouldn’t go that far…”
Kagome let her head roll back so she was back to staring at the ceiling. “Sadly, I really need to get back to work. I’ve procrastinated enough.”
“But it was worth it.”
“Oh it certainly was,” she said, grin widening. Despite her words, she remained on her back, listening to Sango’s vocal lovemaking. She just could not drum up the motivation to get back to studying. Resting her left hand against her stomach, her right automatically moved atop it. Her fingers idly played with the foreign ring that now rested there. Her face seemed to glow as she smiled. I’m actually engaged to Inuyasha! No amount of repetition seemed to dull the excitement the statement provoked.
Heavy movement beside her snapped her out of her reverie. Rolling onto her side, she propped her head up, curling her legs back slightly. She smiled as she watched Sango, sandwiched between both Inuyasha and Miroku. Both men hammered away at her as she yelled for more. Seeing her friend between them brought ideas to mind. Maybe I have time for one more… She quickly smothered the thought. There was far too much reading for her to do already. As tempting as taking Sango’s place was… Besides, Miroku barely has enough energy as it is.
She continued to watch in silence, a smile stuck on her face. She was not focused on them, but lost in her own thoughts. There was nothing specific, just a lazy meander from one thought to another. Most revolved around the future; the wedding, life after the wedding, how she wanted things to be. Living with just Inuyasha, there would be a lot more time spent together. She doubted things would end with Miroku and Sango, at least for the foreseeable future. And if what he said was true…
She could feel her face heat imagining herself surrounded by men, Inuyasha at the front. Those thoughts led to another, equally important one: if that was on the table, what about the reverse? She pictured Inuyasha surrounded by women, her just one of many. She was not revolted by the thought, but she was not exactly enthused by it. But if he wants it… Fair is fair. It was just one of the many things they had to talk about before they actually went forward with the wedding. There is no way I’m going into this marriage like I did this relationship. They would both have a clear understanding of where the line was drawn and what was forbidden.
She never expected herself to be comfortable with an open marriage, but now, she could not see herself in a traditional closed one. There is so much we are going to have to hide from Mother…
“Ah!” she cried, suddenly shooting up. It surprised the other three, freezing them in place as they all looked over at her. They looked ridiculous. Inuyasha on his back, Sango hunched against him with Miroku pressed against her back, arms reaching around to grab at her breasts. The light gave their slick skin a weird shine.
“What’s wrong?” Inuyasha asked as he lifted his head.
“I forgot!” she said, hand covering her open mouth. Her heart was pounding, mouth suddenly dry.
“Forgot what?” Sango asked, winded.
“My mother… I haven’t told her…”
*******************
“Stop fidgeting,” Kagome said, slapping at Inuyasha’s hand as it reached up towards his tie. “You’re making it crooked.”
“I can’t help it,” Inuyasha whined. “It’s burning up.”
“It’s the country, what do you expect?”
“Please tell me your house has air conditioning.”
“Well…” she said, not meeting his eyes.
“You’re kidding me.”
“It was originally a temple and Grandfather was insistent on not installing one.”
“Wonderful,” he grumbled, wiping the sweat from his forehead. “Has anyone down here heard of air conditioning? It’s one of the great inventions of man.”
Kagome straightened in her seat, recognizing the area beyond the bus window. They were getting close. “More importantly, do you remember everything?”
“For the hundredth time, yes. I won’t mess up,” he said, irritated.
She lowered her head, hands twisting nervously in her lap. “I know. I’m just… It’s just…”
His fingers pressed against her chin as he forced her to look up at him. “I know you’re anxious, but everything will be fine.” His smile did ease her worry, but only a little. “Will it help if we went over things again?” She nodded. “Okay then, ask away.”
Clearing her throat, she looked up at him. “Where did we meet?”
“On campus. Sango introduced us at a seminar. She met me as an acquaintance of one of her teachers.”
“Good,” Kagome said, nodding.
“We started talking and found we had a lot in common. Blah, blah, blah, next thing we know, we had started dating.” She frowned. “What? I’m not stupid. I’m not going to tell your mother how we actually met, nor am I going to tell her our current lifestyle. Besides, is she going to believe any of this?”
Kagome still wore her frown, crossing her arms over her chest. Her voice was low so that only he could hear her. “Says the man who proposed to me in the middle of an orgy.”
“Look, I said I was sorry, okay? Are you ever going to let that drop?”
“Not anytime soon,” She shook her head, realizing they were getting sidetracked. “And she will believe it because you were saying how we just met.”
He sighed. “Yes, and we have been dating for over a year.”
“Date?”
“Isn’t your mom going to wonder why you’ve never told her about me if we’ve been dating for over a year?”
“Let me worry about that. Date?”
“February 5th.”
“Have you ever slept with me?”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Knowing them, it will come up.”
He leaned closer towards her. “Of course not. I never have the chance since you are always so busy with other men.”
She punched his shoulder, looking around, face red. Even though he had said it low, it felt to her like he had yelled it. Luckily, the bus was noisy and it would have been impossible for anyone else to hear. “Not funny.”
He laughed, sitting back. “I thought it was.”
“Inuyasha, you need to take this seriously! If they even catch wind of something—”
“They’ll what? Forbid you to marry me?”
“Among other things.”
He grumbled as he scratched at his head. “Kagome, I know how this works. I’ve sold things to people under a lot more hostile conditions than this.” He glanced out the window. “Though a lot of those took place in air conditioning…”
She rested her hand on Inuyasha’s. “I know, I know, but this is different. Mother and Grandfather are really traditional people. Everyone in this town is.”
“Have you at least told her I’m a half-demon?”
“Yes…” she said slowly.
“And?”
“She was… surprised.”
He was silent for a moment, amber eyes studying her. “This isn’t going to be a problem is it?”
“No, no,” she said, quickly shaking her head. “They are conservative, but not that conservative.” She was silent for a few seconds. “If you were full demon, maybe,” she added quietly.
“Yay for small miracles,” he said with sarcastic enthusiasm.
“I’m sorry,” she said, voice wavering. “I just… I really want them to like you.”
He wrapped his arm around her, squeezing her tightly. “I know how important this is to you, and I’ll do everything I can to leave a good impression.”
She took his hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “Thank you.”
*******************
“So this is him,” her mother said flatly, eyeing him critically. Kagome felt her throat tighten, her hands clamping tightly on the gift she had brought. “Well, come on inside then,” she said, turning and quickly walking down the hall. Kagome let out a sigh of relief, glancing over to Inuyasha. She gave him a quick thumbs up and a smile. She had been expecting worse. Kagome felt terrible for Inuyasha. Most of the hostile reception was because of her. Mother was angry at find out about him only now, after he had proposed to her daughter.
The two followed her mother inside to the living room. “Here Mom, I got you some of that perfume you like,” she said handing her mother the box.
“Oh!” her mother said, smiling widely as she took the offered box. “Thank you.” As quickly as the mother she remembered appeared, she was gone as she set the box aside and set her attention to Inuyasha. He shifted in his seat, bracing for the inevitable grilling he was about to receive. “So I hear your name is Inuyasha Taisho.”
“That’s right. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“So Mr. Taisho—”
“You can call me Inuyasha.”
“Mr. Taisho, where do you work?”
“I work for Yamamoto Marketing.”
“I’ve never heard of them.”
“We are hired by companies to represent their products to other companies as well as the general public, depending on our client’s desires.”
“And how much do you make there Mr. Taisho; enough to support my daughter and future family?”
“Mother, that’s rude,” Kagome said, interjecting. Though she said that, she was curious. She knew he had to make a decent amount but she did not have a number.
“It’s a valid question,” Inuyasha said, glancing over at Kagome before returning his attention to her mother. “I make roughly $250 thousand a year, more depending on bonuses. I also have a sizable investment portfolio. My total assets are roughly $2.4 million.”
Kagome had a hard time keeping the surprise off her face. She had no idea he had that much. Glancing over at her mother, she felt her heart sink. Her mother did not seem impressed.
“Kagome never did tell me how you two met Mr. Taisho.”
He smiled, but that charming smile that worked so well on her and other women was defeated by her mother’s expectant gaze. “At a seminar.”
“A seminar?”
“A mutual acquaintance introduced us.”
“Sango,” Kagome clarified. So far so good. It felt like she was sitting on needles. Every small movement shot a thousand pricks across her body.
“You know Sango?” her mother asked, looking from Kagome back to Inuyasha. She was the one friend her mother knew a lot about. Most of the stories she told her mother about started with, ‘Sango and I…’
“Yes, better now than I did then. When she introduced me to your daughter, I had only met her a few times. I know a teacher there and I sometimes come in to talk to his classes.” He clasped his hands together. “Sango was always interested in my talks, so we would stay after class to discuss them farther.”
Kagome let her head bow slightly, covering a small grin. Yes, ‘talk.’ While she was still anxious, Inuyasha’s smooth delivery was giving her some ease. This might actually work. Despite her growing confidence, her mother continued her questions, her tone suggesting she held some suspicion there was something more than what was being told. Every question she asked, Inuyasha easily answered. Kagome knew the truth and still was amazed at how natural his answers seemed.
Her mother leaned forward, eyes narrowing as she stared at Inuyasha. “My final question is this: why my daughter? A man with the wealth, looks, and education like yours could have his pick of any woman.”
Inuyasha’s eyes darted from Kagome back to her mother as he shifted in place. “What a hard question,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. It was the first time she had seen a question cause his pause. “I don’t even know how to answer that.” He took a deep breath. “She understands me for one. We share common interests.” Kagome knew exactly what he meant by ‘common interests.’ “She’s a strong, outspoken woman, not afraid to speak her mind.”
“Not a lot of men are looking for that,” her mother injected before he could continue.
Inuyasha smiled. “Yes, well I’m not like most men. Since my work calls me to travel often, and I can rest easy knowing Kagome is more than capable of taking care of herself. There are just so many reasons why I love Kagome, I don’t think I could possibly list them all. I don’t even think I know all the reasons why I love her. I just do.”
“Thank you Mr. Taisho. This has been an enlightening conversation.” She rose to her feet. “If you will excuse me for a moment, I will start on dinner.”
Kagome waited until her mother had left the room before rushing over to Inuyasha’s side. He had since sagged into the back of the couch. “You did great!” she said in a hushed voice before giving him a quick peck on the lips.
“You think so?” he asked wearily.
She gave a quick nod. “It was perfect.”
“Still, I get the feeling your mother doesn’t like me.”
Kagome felt her smile falter. She had that same feeling. “Let me go talk to her. Maybe I can see what’s going on. Stay here.” He nodded. By the looks of him, he did not have the strength left to do otherwise.
Leaving Inuyasha back in the living room, she made her way through the maze of halls and rooms to the kitchen. Her mother was at the far side, moving about busily as she prepared dinner. “I was waiting for you,” her mother said, turning around and wiping her hands on her apron.
“Mom,” Kagome started, cut off by her mother’s raised hand.
“Kagome,” she said, quickly closing the distance between them. Kagome found herself in shocked silence as her mother wrapped her in a hug. Hesitantly, she returned it. “How did you find a man like that!” she said, holding her daughter out at arm’s length.
“Huh?”
“Inuyasha!” she said, bubbling with enthusiasm. “Such a wonderful man!” This was not the same mother that had just spent the last hour making it seem like she hated everything about him. “Rich… handsome… well educated with an elite upbringing! He’s almost perfect!”
Except he can’t keep his dick out of other women, Kagome added silently. There was no malice in the thought. It was a joke only she was in on. Then again, I’m not any better. Her mother probably misinterpreted her smile as a response to her approval of Inuyasha.
Her mother sighed. “You’ve made your mother a happy woman.” She was positively beaming as she stared at Kagome. “I was worried about sending you to the city. Father was absolutely convinced it would end in disaster; that the city would change you.”
Kagome smiled uneasily. The city had changed her, but it changed her for the better. If they knew the truth about what she did, they would never understand how it brought her happiness. She was with the man she loved, and even though they showed their love in unusual ways, Kagome was comfortable with their relationship – no matter how abnormal it was.
Suddenly, her mother’s expression turned suspicious. “You’re not pregnant are you?”
“Mother!” she gasped, horrified that her mother would jump to that conclusion.
She was all smiles again. “I’m just kidding! Kidding!” She took a deep breath, running her eyes along her daughter. “Just look at you, so grown up.”
“It’s only been a few months.”
“I know, and just look how much you’ve grown! You seem much more womanly now.”
“R-really?” She blushed.
Her mother gave a firm nod. “I saw it the moment you walked in the door. You’ve never carried yourself with as much confidence as you do now.” Her hands tightened on Kagome’s shoulder. “When I realized that it was Inuyasha that pulled the woman that stands before me out… I knew you two would make it.”
Kagome’s blush deepened. “Thanks Mom.” She was overjoyed at her mother’s recognition, but a profound sadness lingered. Her mother would never know the ‘true’ woman that stood before her. It was a secret Kagome was determined to take to her grave. In this moment, Aya came to mind. If her mother ever found out the truth behind what she and Inuyasha actually did together, she could never understand why Kagome did it, let alone accept it. Aya on the other hand… she was never judgmental and even supported Kagome as she struggled to find her own acceptance. It hurt that she had to keep such a secret from her mother. She loved her mother with everything she had, but a part of her wished she was more understanding like Aya was.
Her attention returned to her mother when she released her shoulders. She was giggling at her own thoughts as she returned to her work. “I can’t wait to tell the girls! They’re going to be so jealous when I tell them my daughters marrying an elite!”
Kagome rolled her eyes. One thing she would never miss was the small town politics. Sometimes it was nice being anonymous in the big city.
“Too bad he’s half-demon,” her mother said sorrowful. “It would have been nice if he was full human.”
Kagome’s expression darkened. “That’s not going to be a problem is it?” In certain company, she had heard her mother say certain things about demons from time to time, but she was nowhere near as bad as most in this area.
“No, no!” There was a slight pause. “For me at least…”
“Is that why Grandfather isn’t here?” A nod confirmed her suspicion. “Mom, you said you would talk to him!”
“And I did. You know him. He’s as stubborn as a mule.”
“Is he really not going to meet him?”
“That’s what he said.”
Kagome felt her shoulder sag. “So I take it he’s mad at me too.” Her grandfather was a nice guy, but he grew up in a different time. While the world changed around him, he had not. For reasons unknown to Kagome, her grandfather had a deep distrust and loathing for demons. And half-demons too apparently.
“No, he’s mad at me,” her mother said, chopping vegetables.
“You? What did you do?”
“I let you go to the city. He would have much preferred you stay here and marry a local boy.”
Kagome wrinkled her nose. “I don’t like any of the boys here.”
Her mother smiled over her shoulder. “You use to get along so well with everyone though.”
“Yeah, until they hit puberty,” Kagome muttered under her breath. It seemed like it happened over night. One day, she was just a member of the gang. The next day, their only interest in her seemed to be getting in her pants. Once they found out she had absolutely no interest in that, they moved on to people more willing. Losing almost all her friends overnight, it was then that Kagome decided she no longer wanted to be ‘one of the boys.’
Moving next to her mother, Kagome took one of the cabbages from the sink. It’s been awhile since I’ve actually cooked something. There was a lot to talk about beside depressing things like the past. “So, how have things been since I left?”
*******************
Inuyasha managed to recover enough to start moving around. Man, I hope I can remember everything I said… The problem with lying was not with selling the lie, it was remembering what you sold. The weekend they were staying here would be fine. It was years down the road. Hopefully I won’t be held to such scrutiny then.
When Kagome did not immediately return, he began wandering the living room. It was hard to tell if it was a positive or negative thing. I’m sure she’s just catching up with her mother. Taking a deep breath to settle himself, he found himself wandering over to the pictures set alongside the far wall. A shrine sat between them, a picture of a man who reminded him faintly of Kagome.
Placing his hands together, he gave a short bow. I know you probably won’t forgive me for what I’ve caused your daughter to become, but I do love her. I ask that you please look favorably upon us. He paused for a moment. Just not… uh… during the… questionable… times.
He separated his hands, looking around sheepishly. “Right, I should stop talking,” he muttered to himself. Stepping to the side, he moved from picture to picture. It was the first time he had seen Kagome as a child. It was surprising to find the woman he knew today had grown up as such a tomboy. None of the pictures showed even a remotely girly Kagome, her hair never longer than her shoulders. In many of the pictures, she was surrounded by boys of various ages. He grinned mischievously. That might actually explain a lot about her…
She was always beaming, the center of each one. In most, they were all covered in mud, from work or play he could not tell. What really interested him were the family pictures. They were the largest, lined at the top of all the others. It was a sorrowful snapshot of Kagome’s life. The first was a young man and woman, smiling happily as the woman held a newborn to her chest, the man’s hands on her shoulders as they looked towards the camera. The next, a girl shyly stood next to her parents as her mother held another baby. The third one was a much more somber photo. Two girls, one older than the other stood on either side of their mother as she held another baby. While the woman was smiling, there was a noticeable sadness in her expression. The man from the other two was missing.
Eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Inuyasha moved to the next one. The older girl was a teenager now. It was not Kagome. Even into her early teens Kagome was still into her tomboy look. This girl was doing everything she could to look older than she was. Beside her was the tomboy Inuyasha recognized, wearing that boyish grin he had seen in so many other pictures. Even her sloppy pose screamed unfeminine as she hung her arm around the older girl, her two fingers held out in a ‘V.’ Kagome’s mother stood beside them, smiling as she rested her hands on an unsmiling boy’s shoulders. An elderly man stood beside her, his hand resting on her shoulder as he smiled at the camera.
The last one really perplexed him. The older teen was gone. Kagome, seemingly in high school, was standing next to her seated mother, her hand resting on her shoulder. While her hair was still on the short side, it was far longer than any of the pictures before. It was one of the few pictures of her transition from her boyish childhood to the woman he knew and loved. The boy was on the other side, a small grin on his face as he held a hand on his mother’s other shoulder. Behind them was the elderly man. He seemed older in the picture, but no less enthusiastic about being in it.
He stepped back, giving the pictures a broader look. He still could not make sense of it. There were obviously three children in the family, but Kagome had told him she only had a younger brother. The other pictures confirmed this. They were all either of Kagome or her brother. So who is the other girl?
“You must be Inuyasha.”
Surprised, Inuyasha turned around to find a teenage boy leaning on the wall at the entrance to the living room. “And you must be Souta.”
He grinned. “That’s right. I was wondering if I would get to meet you. Mom said she wanted to thoroughly interrogate you. She thought it was odd that Kagome never mentioned you, then suddenly saying she was getting married.” His grin widened. “You didn’t get her pregnant did you?”
“Wha—?” He was taken aback. After hearing so much from Kagome about her family, he had come to expect certain things from them. He had gotten her mother mostly right, but her brother was a mighty curve ball.
Chuckling, Souta waved his hand, moving into the living room. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding. I’m certain my sister is still as ‘pure’ as Mother wants her to be.”
He straightened up. “I don’t know what you’re implying, but I haven’t touched her in that way. She made it clear that she wanted to wait until marriage.”
Souta raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. “And you were willing to wait?”
“Some things are worth waiting for. It’s her decision and I respect that.” Inuyasha frowned. “And why the hell am I talking to you about this? Frankly it’s none of your business what we do.”
Souta shrugged, flopping back on the couch. He nodded towards the pictures. “Is this your first time seeing Kagome when she was little?”
“Yeah, she never told me she was such a tomboy.”
“There’s a reason for that,” he said with a grin. “She’s a bit touchy about it.”
“I actually have some questions about the pictures, if you don’t mind answering,” Inuyasha said, turning back to face the pictures.
“Sure.”
“Who’s this?” he asked, pointing towards the older teen.
“Ah… Her.” Souta got up. Inuyasha noticed him move up beside him as he looked at the picture. “That’s our older sister Kikyo.”
“Kagome never mentioned her.”
“Yeah, and you shouldn’t either. Mom kicked her out her senior year; all but disowned her.”
Blinking in surprised, Inuyasha looked between Souta and the picture. Nothing Kagome had told him about her family had prepared him for this. She painted her family as a rosy love story with the occasional disagreement; while he expected there to be some secrets, nothing as big as this. “The way Kagome described you guys made it sound a lot more… cohesive.”
He shrugged. “For the most part, we are. Mom is pretty forgiving, but there are lines you don’t cross.” He nodded towards the picture. “Kikyo happily sprinted past that line.”
Inuyasha was silent. He really wanted to know what happened, but knew better than to pry. I’ll have to ask Kagome later. Whether he got the truth or not was another story.
He felt Souta give his shoulder a squeeze. Inuyasha was a fair amount taller than the teen, forcing him to reach up a considerable amount to do it. “Welcome to the family.” He was grinning. “I hope you know what you’ve got yourself into.”
*******************
“You can sleep here,” Souta said, sliding the door open. Inside the small room was a bed and… not much else. An empty bookcase sat near the door and the closet was open, revealing that it too was empty.
“Thanks,” Inuyasha said as he stepped inside. Setting his suitcase aside, he heard the door close behind him.
“Bathroom is to the left, two doors down, and on the right,” Souta’s muffled voice said from the other side of the door.
“Thanks.” Breathing deep through his nose, Inuyasha took a seat on the bed. It was still ridiculously hot and the puny fan sitting on the nightstand looked inadequate. Closing his eyes, he ran his hands down his face. Dinner went better than he hoped. Kagome’s mother seemed to be more receptive of him. There was still something about her that made him uncomfortable.
Just one more day. He repeated it several more times. Tomorrow night, we’ll be on the bus back to the station, and from there, home. He wiped his forehead, suppressing a groan. The heat only added to his increasing level of stress. It was hard trying to impress someone looking like you were just caught in the rain. A change of clothes will help…
Stripping down to his boxers, Inuyasha flopped down onto his bed. Leaning over, he tapped at the fan’s buttons until it turned on. Slowly, it swung from side to side, blowing a paltry amount of hot air against him. Groaning, he let his head hit the pillow. He did not realize he dozed off until a voice awoke him.
“Inuyasha, are you awake?” Kagome’s voice was barely a whisper.
“Yeah,” he whispered back, sitting up.
“Can I come in?”
“Sure.” The door slid aside revealing Kagome clad in a robe. It smelled like she just got out of the bath. He was holding out for his in the morning. No sense getting clean only to sweat in my sleep. It was amazing how Kagome and her family seemed immune to the weather. He grinned as she shut the door behind her. “I take it this isn’t a pleasurable late night visitation.”
She scowled at him. “Don’t even joke about that, not here,” she said in a stern voice.
“Sorry. So what brings you here?” he asked, motioning her to sit beside him. Holding her robe closed, she took a seat.
“I just wanted to ask how you were doing.”
“Hanging in there.”
Kagome smiled. “Mother likes you.”
“Oh? I’d hate to see her mad.”
Her smile widened. “I think she’s just putting on a show.”
“Well she’s doing a damn good job of it. Speaking of family, I haven’t met your grandfather yet. Is he on a trip or something?” Best not to ask about her older sister… not yet at least.
Kagome’s expression turned gloomy as she looked down. “He… won’t be joining us this weekend.”
“He has a problem with me, doesn’t he?” She nodded. He rubbed at his neck. “Well, I guess it can’t be helped. There are people like that.”
“It’s still not right!”
“No, but you can’t force someone to do something they don’t want to.” He lifted her chin to look her in the eye. “Give it time. I’m sure he’ll come around eventually.”
“Yeah…” She did not sound convinced.
He gave her a quick kiss. “You should go. I don’t want your mother or brother getting any ideas.”
There was a look of longing in her eyes. “God I wish we were home. I love my family to death, but the stress! I could really use…” She trailed off, remembering where she was.
He knew exactly what she meant. A grin spread across his face. “When we get home?”
She blushed. “You wouldn’t mind?”
“Of course not.” Such an insatiable woman! He would not want her any other way. Watching as she moved to the door, he gave her a smile when she looked back. Then she was gone, leaving him to his thoughts. Rubbing his eyes, he fell back onto the bed. Kagome was just as mysterious as her family. She acted certain ways and expected things done in other ways. The proposal was the most recent example. He managed to weasel Kagome’s real thoughts out of Sango during one of their… intimate… moments. Inuyasha knew from the beginning that it would be a high-risk proposal, but he stood by his decision. They had their first meeting in that room and Kagome had just finished doing the very thing he proposed during. He had a feeling Kagome would want something traditional, but they were living, and were going to live, an untraditional life.
Besides… she certainly didn’t seem mad at the time, he thought, crossing his arms. She went on to fuck three more guys. He remembered watching her as she did it. Never once did she show anything but happiness on her face.
Taking a deep breath, he reached over to turn the light out. Closing his eyes he settled back in his bed. Kagome was an enigma he would probably never figure out.
*******************
“Sorry for intruding,” Inuyasha said with a slight bow.
“No, no. It was nice finally meeting you,” Kagome’s mother said with a smile. It was the first time he had seen her give him one the entire time he was there. Despite the smile, he could not help but feel it was a small stab towards Kagome. She is probably unhappy that she is just finding out about me now…
“You too Souta,” Inuyasha said, holding his hand out.
Taking his hand, the teen gave it a firm shake. He looked over at his sister. “Don’t be several months visiting again. There is only so much of ‘when is Kagome going to visit? I haven’t heard from Kagome in forever!’ that I can take,” he said, giving his voice an artificially high pitch.
Kagome wrapped him in a hug. “I won’t promise.” She faced her mother. “I’ll visit soon.”
“I forgot to ask when you plan to have the wedding,” her mother said as she hugged Kagome.
Stepping back, Kagome gave him an uncertain look. “We uh… don’t know yet. I want to graduate first. Maybe work a little.”
“Work?” her mother said, surprised. “Why not start a family right away?” Behind his mother, Souta started making rude gestures, nodding his head as he did it.
Kagome shifted nervously. “We uh… haven’t talked about that either.”
Her mother looked shocked. “Have you two discussed anything?”
“Mom, we just got engaged!”
That reasoning would not work on her mother. “There are still things you have to decide before that! What if he doesn’t want kids!” Her gaze shot to him. “You want kids, right?”
Kagome answered before he could. “Mom, I don’t know if I want kids!”
That got her mother’s attention. Inuyasha knew something was coming the moment the words left Kagome’s mouth. We were almost home free… “What?” her mother asked, as if she did not believe what she heard. Behind her, even Souta seemed shocked.
“I meant… right away, having kids right away,” Kagome said, trying to recover. It was far too late for that. Her mother knew better.
“This… this is a conversation we will have later.” Her eyes shot towards Inuyasha. “Alone.” The last word hung ominously in the air as the woman spun on her heels and stormed off inside. Souta gave Kagome a series of gestures Inuyasha did not recognize. Kagome nodded, bowing her head slightly before he rushed off after their mother. Inuyasha got the sinking feeling that all the work he had done to build up an approval had just been cut at the base.
They were both nearing the bus stop when she broke the silence. “That… could have gone better.” She shook her head, placing a hand against her forehead. “I’m so stupid! I should have never said anything! The entire time not one mention of kids and at the very end…!”
She seemed on the verge of tears. Inuyasha pulled her to a stop, wrapping her in his arms. “Come on, it isn’t so bad.”
“It’s worse,” Kagome said, voice muffled by his chest. “I just undercut everything you worked hard to accomplish.”
“I don’t care. I only care what you think.”
“But I care. I want them to like you!” she said, separating from him.
He smiled, running his finger over her cheek. “This was only the first meeting. I’ll have plenty of time to win them over. Right?”
“Right,” she said, finally smiling. “God, look at me. I’m a mess,” she said, wiping her eyes.
“It was a tough weekend.”
“You’re telling me,” she said. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself.
“Feel better?”
“Much.”
They finished their walk to the bus stop. Unlike in the city, they were the only ones there. “I should have drove.”
“No way. I wanted a stealthy in and out. An expensive car like yours draws unwanted attention around here.”
There was a long silence as they stood waiting. He wiped the sweat from his forehead for what seemed like the hundredth time. I will not miss this heat. He watched Kagome out of the corner of his eye. She seemed to be off in her own thoughts staring blankly out at the field before them.
“Was it true that you don’t want children?”
She looked down. “I did, but now I’m not so sure.” She glanced over at him. “I figured you wouldn’t want any.”
“To be honest, I’ve never really thought about it.”
She gave him a half-grin. “Of course not.”
He faced her. “But why the sudden change?”
Hooking her fingers in her jeans, she looked up towards the sky. “I don’t know if I have it in me to be a mom.”
“You’d be a great mom,” Inuyasha said automatically.
She laughed. “I think you said that a little too quickly.” The smile faded as she looked up at Inuyasha. “But do you honestly think we would make good parents?” Inuyasha suddenly realized what she was saying. The realization must have shown on his face because Kagome gave him a sad smile. “Kids would mean a lot of changes to our lives.”
Inuyasha ran his tongue across his lips. His mouth suddenly seemed dry. He was sweating, but it seemed less to do with the heat. “I… would be willing to make them.” Not counting Sango, Kagome was basically the only woman he was sleeping with now. It would not be that great of a change to him now. The real challenge would be accepting that he no longer had the option of sleeping with other women. Besides, maybe it was his age, but having a kid or two did not sound as horrible as it once was. Especially if it’s with Kagome.
Kagome smiled as she reached out to take his hand. “I don’t know if I would.”
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Ha! Another update! This time, with lots of story! This chapter felt like it took forever to write. Hope everyone enjoyed it!
And thanks for the continued support with reviews! I was really worried about how the previous chapter would be received. Glad to know people liked it.
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